Ammunition chute connector



*APril15, 1958 I H. E. HARDING ETA].- 2,830,351

AMMUNITION CHUTE CONNECTOR Filed Oct. 1, 1953 29 ,g/ 24 2a 3 M27 52, 10

= INVENTOR' Howard E Hard/ 27 V/czor l? Ne/sorz BY m ATTORNE\ 2,830,351. AMBIUNITION CHUTE CONNECTOR Howard E. Harding and Victor R. Nelson, St. Paul, Minn, assignors to Nobles Engineering Company, Ramsey County, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Applicationflctober 1, 1953, Serial'No. 383,565 r scram. c1. 24-265) This inventionrelates to anpimprovement in ammunition chute connectors and deals particularly with a simple and effective means of connecting and disconnecting'ansirable that the connector be simple in nature and quickly operated. The present invention. deals with a, connector ofthistype.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a connector including apair of brackets which aremounted upon the ammunition box or on the gun and a cooperable member which is attached to the end of the chute. By moving the end of the chute toward the box bearing the brackets a chute may be automatically attached and locked in position. As a result the chute may be more easily locked in place than with connectors of previous types.

An object of the present invention'resides in the provision of a connector having two cooperable parts. it One of these parts is in the form of a barrel extending transversely to the direction of movementof the parts in connecting, or disconnecting, the connector. This barrel supports a pair of buttons, or plungers, which are urged resiliently in opposite directions. The other part of the connector includes a bracket provided with spaced guides.

openings and spring apart. This action locks the two parts K of the connector together.

A further feature of the present invention resides in a simple and effective means of permitting the disconnection of the chute from the part to which it is secured. Resilient blades overlie the apertures into which the buttons or plungers extend when the two parts of the connector are connected. These spring blades include projections capable of extending into the apertures and retractingthe plungers against the compression of their springs. As

soon as the buttons or plungers have been retracted the two parts of the connector may be separated.

A feature of the present invention resides in the simple and effective manner in which the two parts of the connector may be attached or detached. The connecting of the two parts is effected merely by forcing the two'parts of the connector together until they lock. Separation is effected by merely placing the hand over the spring blades and simultaneously forcing the ends of the blades to- *United States Patent provided with an ammunition box adapter which is dearranged with their axes extending vertically. r

gether. This action acts to retract the locking plungers,

and the two parts of the connector may then be immediately separated.

These and other objects'and novel features of the inven-l tion will be more clearly and fullyset forth in the fol- 7 shown in Figure 1. g

Figure 3 is anelevational view of a portion of the strfic: 'ture shown in Figure 1, a part of the structure being shown in cross section. V r

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one portion of the connector removed from the remainder of the apparatus.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the second portion of the connector removed from the remainder of the apparatus. In the particular views illustrated the connector is shown connecting a gun end adapter to a feeder leading into the gun. The oppositerend of the flexible chute is signed to connect the opposite end of thechute to the ammunition box. In view of the fact that the adapters are quite similar in nature and the connectors-at each end.

of the chute are identical, the opposite end of the flexible chute has not been illustrated. Thus the adapter and the connectors may be considered to fit at either end of the flexible chute for the purpose of this description.

The feeder is indicated in general by the numeral 10,.

This feeder is designed to receive a .continuous-chain of shells which are fed through the flexible chute. The endof the flexible chute is indicated by the numeral 11. the details of the feeder and the details of the chute form no part of the present invention they have not been illusa trated in great detail. For the purpose of this description it is believed suflicient to state that the feeder 10 is pro-,-

vided with an inlet end 12 which is provided with spacedv parallel side walls 13 and 14. It is to these parallel side walls 13 and 14 that the connector is secured. The am munition supply box is similarly provided with parallel side walls similar to 13 and 14 and the connector is connected in a similar manner to these side walls.

The adapter is indicated in general by the numeral 15. This adapter 15 includes a generally rectangular frame to which the flexible chute 11 is secured. The chute 11 is also comprised of sections which are generally rectangular in sections or at least define a generally rectangular passage through which the shells pass.

The connectors are indicated in general by the letter A and include two main parts. The first of these parts is indicated in general by the numeral 16 and the other of parts 17 are normally connected to either the gun end T adapter or the ammunition box adapter, as the case may 20 which extends transversely of the direction of move ment of the connector in connecting or disconnectingthe- 'parts. In the particular arrangement illustrated the rela-' tive movement between the connected parts on connecting; and disconnecting same is horizontal and the barrelsare The connector part 16 includes an anchoring flange-19 which is welded or otherwise secured to the side Walls 13 or 14. Connected to the anchoring plate 19 is a barrel" As best illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings a pair of plungers 21 and 22 are mounted at opposite ends of a sleeve 23. This sleeve 23 is provided With a first pair of diametrically opposed longitudinally extending slots 24 near one end of the barrel. These slots 24 are designed to'accommodate a pin 25 which extends through the plunger 21 and terminate in the slots 24. Thus the slots 24 limit the slidable movement of the plunger 21.

A second pair of diametrically opposed longitudinally extending slots 26 are provided at the opposite end of the sleeve 23. These slots are designed to accommodate a pin 27 which extends through a plunger 27 and terminates in the slots 26. Thus the pins and slots limit the outward and inward movement of the plunger 22. A spring 29 is'provided in the sleeve 23 between the plungers 21 and 22 to normally urge these plungers apart.

In actual practice the mounting plates 19 are welded or otherwise secured to the parallel sides of the feeder 10 or of the ammunition storage box. The cooperable parts 17 of the fastener will now be described in detail.

Direction of movement is provided with an anchoring plate 30 which is designed for attachment at opposite ends of the generally rectangular adapter 15. Along the upper and lower edges of the anchoring plate 30 we provide a generally right angular extending flange, the upper flange being identified by the numeral 31 and the lower flange being indicated by the numeral 32. The term upper and lower flanges should not be construed as a limitation for the chutes are designed to extend virtually'any direction and the terminology is employed only to simplify description.

The upper flange 31 is provided with an aperture 33 therein which is spaced from each end of the flange and which is the proper size to freely accommodate the plunger 21. The lower flange is likewise provided with an aperture 34 which is aligned with the aperture 33 and which is designed to accommodate the plunger 22. Both plungers 21 and 22 are normally of equal size and the structure is reversible. In order to simplify the operation of attaching the two parts of the connector the upper flange 33 is provided with a tapered or inclined groove 35' which is formed by pressing the center portion of the flange upwardly above the plane of the remainder of the flange and sloping the groove generally downwardly toward the aperture 33. The flange 32 is likewise provided with a tapered channel or groove 36 which leads toward the aperture 33. The ends 37 and 39 respectively of the channels or grooves 36 and 35 are apart far enough to accommodate the plungers 21 and 22 when these plungers are in their outermost position. Accordingly, the portion 17 of the connector may be placed adjoining the part 16 thereof and may be urged over the plungers 21 and 22, the tapered or inclined grooves acting to gradually press the plungers 21 and 22 inwardly. In other words the channels or grooves act as cam tracks to depress the plungers 21 and 22 until they are in alignment with the apertures 33 and 34. At this time the plungers snap outwardly being urged apart by the intermediate spring 29. When the plungers 21 and 22 are extended through the apertures 33 and 34, the two parts of the connector are latched together and cannot accidentally become separated. v

In order to simplify the operation. of removing the bracket portion 17 of the connector from the portion 16 thereof we provide flexible strips which overlie the plungers and assist in depressing the same when necessary. One such flexible strip 40 is anchored at one end 41 to the flange 31 and inclines slightly away from the flange 31, being bent at 42 for this purpose. As best indicated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings the strip 40 is provided at its free end with a downwardly extending projection 43 which is of proper size to fit into the apertur e 33 and of proper length to press the plunger 21 inwardly until the upper end thereof is entirely free of the aperture 33.

The lower flange 32 is also provided with a flexible strip 44 which is anchored at one end at 45 to the undersurface flange 32 and which is bent at 46 to incline away from the flange 32. This strip 44 is provided at its free end with an upwardly directed projection 47 which is of proper size to fit into the flange aperture 34 and which is of proper length to force the plunger 22 entirely out of the aperture 34.

The operation of our device has been partially described in connection with the construction thereof. The chute 11 having the adapter 15 at one end thereof is brought into proximity with the gun feeder or with the ammunition box supporting the portions 16 of the connector. The adapter 15 is aligned with the entrance of the feeder or ammunition box at which time the plungers 22 and 21 of the two portions 16 are in alignment with the cam grooves 35 and 36 of the connector portions 17. The adapter 15 is then urged toward the feeder 19 or ammunition box, the plungers entering their respective grooves and being cammed inwardly until they align with their corresponding apertures. At this time the plungers are forced outwardly by the spring 29 and the two connector parts are locked together.

When it is desired to detach the two elements one hand is placed at each end of the adapter 15 with the fingers extending across one of the flat spring strips while the thumbs engage over the opposite spring strips. The thumbs and fingers are then squeezed together, forcing the resilient strips toward surface contact with the various flanges to which they are secured. This action causes the projections on the spring strips to enter the apertures and press the various plungers inwardly. This retracts the plungers from the openings and permits the separation of the adapter from the portion to which it has been secured.

In accordance with the patent statutes, we have described the principles of construction and operation of ammunition chute connector, and while it has been endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, it is desired to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A detachable connector for attaching ammunition boxes and feeders to ammunition box adapters and gun end adapters including two separable parts, one part including a barrel, retractable plunger means retractable into said barrel and normally projecting therefrom, and means resiliently urging said plunger means into projecting position, the other part including spaced flanges provided with a pair of guides having an inlet open end, the end portions of said guides being spaced to admit the barrel and plunger means extending longitudinally therebetween, said guides including inclined cam means extending inwardly from said open end capable of retracting said plungers upon relative longitudinal movement of said guides, said guides having apertures therethrough into which said plunger means may project after they have been retracted by said cam means, said apertures holding said guides from reverse relative longitudinal movement, and flexible projection means engageable with said plungers to retract the same when engaged in said apertures.

2. A detachable connector for attaching ammunition boxes and feeders to ammunition box adapters and gun end adapters including two separable parts, one part including a barrel, retractable plunger means retractable into said barrel and normally projecting therefrom, and means resiliently urging said plunger means into projecting position, the other part including spaced flanges provided with a pair of guides having an inlet open end, the end portions of said guides being spaced to admit the barrel and plunger means extending longitudinally therebetween, said guides including inclined cam means extending inwardly from said open end capable of retracting said plungers upon relative longitudinal movement of said guides, said guides having apertures therethrough into which said plunger means may project after they have been retracted by said cam means, said apertures holding said guides from reverse relative longitudinal movement, said cam means comprising tapered opposed U-shaped channels.

3. A detachable connector including two separable parts, one of said parts including a barrel having retractable plungers in opposite ends, and means normally urging said plungers apart, the other part including spaced flanges provided with a pair of spaced guides having cam grooves being spaced apart a distance sufiicient to accommodate the barrel with its plungers projecting therebetween, said cam grooves acting to retract said plungers upon relative longitudinal movement of said guides, said guides having apertures therethrough in the path of movement of said plungers as the guides move relative thereto and into which said plungers project to lock the two parts from further relative movement, and means overlying said apertures and engageable therethrough to retract said plungers.

4. A detachable connector including two separable parts, one of said parts including a barrel having retractable plungers in opposite ends, and means normally urging said plungers apart, the other part including spaced flanges provided with a pair of spaced guides having cam grooves being spaced apart a distance sufficient to accommodate the barrel with its plungers projecting tl1erebetween, said cam grooves acting to retract said plungers upon relative longitudinal movement of said guides, said guides having apertures therethrough in the path of move ment of said plungers as the guides move relative thereto and into which said plungers project to lock the two parts from further relative movement, resilient strips disposed outwardly of said guides and extending over said apertures, and means on said guides movable into said apertures to retract said plungers as the strips are urged toward one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

